The invention relates to certain three-wheeled motor vehicles having two front wheels and one rear wheel, which may be constructed from conventional two-wheeled motorcycles. These vehicles incorporate two steerable front wheels which are attached to a framework which is attached to the front of a conventional motorcycle whose front wheel and fork have been removed. The passengers are supported by this framework at a point in front of the motorcycle involved. Since such an arrangement constitutes, for all practical purposes, a small, rear-engined automobile, having merely one rear wheel rather than two, these vehicles have often been referred to as cyclecars. They will therefore occasionally be referred to as cyclecars in this document.
There have been scattered attempts to produce such a vehicle. All of these attempts, however, have been geared toward the production of a complete vehicle, incorporating a specific front suspension, a specific steering system, and a frame whose configuration dictated a specific body shape. This production of a complete vehicle naturally results in a relatively high cost for the finished product, making its purchase somewhat prohibitive. The designation of specific components allows a potential builder no latitude in the alteration of the design and consequently, the control of production costs.
Structurally, all of these previous attempts have utilized a connection between the motorcycle fork neck and the upper rear portion of the cyclecar frame as the one principal connection between the two structures. They have then provided secondary connections between the lower rear cyclecar frame and the lower front motorcycle frame. This arrangement invariably results in an inordinate amount of stress on the motorcycle fork neck. The secondary connections cannot always be utilized as there are several motorcycles commonly in use in which the engine serves as a frame member, the motorcycle thereby having no lower front frame portion.
In spite of all previous attempts to produce a workable cyclecar, there exists little activity in this field. There remain, however, various individuals within the multitude of motorcycle enthusiasts, who might wish to make the conversion to a cyclecar, if given the opportunity to do so easily and economically. Included might be those cyclists who desire a more stable and weather-resistant vehicle that they could utilize during the winter months; those who would prefer a small economy automobile, but opted for the motorcycle for economic reasons; and, in conjunction with the current interest in the customizing of motorcycles, those who are seeking a measure of individuality.